Shadow of the Undead
by AkaMoonSugar
Summary: 2 up! Usagi saves a vampire from painful death but kills a more powerful one in the process. Will the one she saved protect her from those who will act to avenge the other's death?
1. Leave the Akuji Alone

I really wanted to try a vamp fic, so here's my first one! Go easy one me, I'm really excited about this plot and can't wait to see you guys' reactions!  
  
  
Man has always had misconceptions about vampires. Novelists have taken the few known facts about the undead and twisted them into the widely-accepted image of light-hating creatures who slaughter man and animal alike. Some of what mortals write and say is true and some is not, but they are not wise enough to know the difference. Vampires exsist, stronger, wiser, and more powerful than any human.  
  
  
  
Run. Duck. Jump. Land, roll, run. Dont bother to breathe. It isn't necessary. Chocolate brown locks slapped against his forehead, the cold night air slicing his throat. He came to a halt near a lit bus stop and under it to shelter himself from the pounding rain. Taking a deep breath and leaning against the glass, he glanced around. Calm Prussian eyes noticed a young, worn girl sitting near him, but he didn't pay her any mind as an alarm rang in his head. Immediately he ducked to the left just before the glass was shattered by his pursuer's fist. Leaping up, he started to run again, back down the alley he had come from.  
  
'Why doesn't Kayor just give up?' he wondered.  
  
"Yui!" the man behind him screamed as 'Yui' flung a large piece of glass back at him. Something confused Yui, however, as he heard two sets of footfalls come closer. Swiftly he hid behind a dumpster, waiting to see if Kayor had an accomplice.  
  
A tall man rounded the corner. He was dressed all in black and had black hair that hung to his shoulders. Bright amber eyes scanned the alley, looking for his prey.  
  
  
  
Tsukino Usagi walked slowly to the bus stop, only wanting to get out of the rain. Glancing at her watch, she sighed heavily.  
  
'2:15. Why can't the youma attack during the day, like they used to?'  
  
Usagi slumped onto the plastic bench, wincing. Her back had gotten cut up badly and her self-healing ability hadn't been working well lately, leaving her wounded for a few weeks before the aches began to dull and the cuts to fade. It was all she could do to hide her many cuts, bruises, and late-night ventures from her parents.  
  
Suddenly a young man ran into the sheltered area. Mere seconds later a fist smashed through the glass. Openmouthed in horror, Usagi watched as the first boy ran off again, the second close behind. A strange feeling pulled at her and she ran after them.  
  
  
  
Crouched on top of the dumpster, the boy waited for his moment. He was shocked to see a young girl following behind.  
  
'If Kayor finds her, she's dead.' Yui thought. 'Stay back, kid.' he warned silently, grinning as he saw her freeze in place.  
  
'Weak human. She'll stay there until I command her to move.' he thought, grin widening.With that, he jumped from his resting place, daggers drawn. His foe spun around just in time, pulling his own daggers from their hiding places. They each held one dagger of sharp silver, the other of wood. Silver was like a poison to the undead and would eat away at the flesh from the inside. Wood, if it pierced the skin, would kill them almost instantly.  
  
Like a beautiful, strange dance the two circled, daring the other to come closer. Kayor moved first and the silver flashed in the moonlight as daggers met. When they jumped back, Yui had a deep cut running from his right shoulder to the bottom left of his torso.  
  
  
  
"Oh my god," Usagi whispered, unbelieving. It was like watching one of those late night horror films. "They're real." she breathed. She watched as the two clashed again, attempting to bury a splinter in the other. Something held her back from moving towards them but she fought against it and soon won.   
  
  
  
"Come on Kayor!" Yui taunted, seeing Kayor's amber eyes flash at his words.  
  
"Give it up, Hiiro!" Kayor replied. Hiiro didn't respond, just launched another attack. This time, Kayor played a trick on him and soon had him by the neck. As Hiiro struggled, Kayor slammed him into the dumpster and raised his wooden dagger.  
  
"I'll tell them that the better man won." he promised, holding the dagger above his head. Hiiro did not flinch or fight, just watched the girl out of the corner of his eye as she lept up and snatched the wooden weapon. In one swift motion she spun in the air and used her momentum to bury the stake deep into Kayor's back. Kayor spun around and grabbed her by the throat, eyes widening in fury. His long nails raked at the skin of her neck as a shadow lept from the ground and engulfed him, leaving only a pile of dust. Usagi immediately dropped the stake and looked up at him, into his deep Prussian eyes.  
  
Big mistake. She promptly passed out but he caught her before she ever hit the ground.  
  
"Silly human." he said in a light monotone. Quickly he scaled the fire escape, carrying the strange girl with him. He had many hideouts hidden throughout the city, and he prayed that none of his friends were at this one tonight. As he reached the top floor he climbed through the window and scanned the room, finding that they were alone.  
  
Gently he set her down on the worn mattress. Placing a hand on her forehead, he muttered a few words and waited. Soon her eyelids lifted to reveal the most shockingly blue eyes he had ever seen. In these depths he saw her go from confusion to realization and then to fear. She sat up a little and tried to back away from him, but stopped as she looked at him fully. Something unreadable entered her eyes as she saw the cuts he bore, both from the fight she witnessed and the one that ended just before he ran into the bus stop. She moved forward, closer to him, putting her hand out slowly. Just before she touched his skin he flinched.  
  
"Does it hurt?" she asekd in a whisper, innocently. He nodded. She touched his shoulder and he hissed, looking away. Hoping he wouldn't kill her, Usagi put her other hand at the end of the cut and took a deep breath. She sent a quick shock of her own energy through him, and the felsh instantly pulled together and healed, leaving only a faint white line where the cut had been.  
  
Hiiro looked at the girl, confused and suspicious. What was she? Though vampires possess the ability to heal quickly, healing others required some of their own blood. And this girl used none.  
  
"Who are you?" he demanded, regretting his tone as she cowered in fear. Hiiro sighed.  
  
"I'm not going to hurt you, I'm just curious. What's your name?"  
  
"Tsukino Usagi." she replied.  
  
"Usagi." he rolled the name off his tongue, testing its sound.  
  
"Can I ask you a question?" Usagi asked.  
  
"Sure." Hiiro replied slowly. 'She sure trusts easily.'  
  
"Are you- a- a vampire?" she stuttered.  
  
"That's what my kind is called by humans, yes. We are the undead, the Akuji."   
  
"Akuji?"  
  
"It's an ancient tongue, long dead to the living of this world. It means 'dead and awake'." She was silent for a few moments.  
  
"Are you going to let me go?" she asked, unable to meet his eyes.  
  
"Hai!" Hiiro replied quickly. He was fascinated; in the many, many years he had been a vampire he had never met anyone like her before.  
  
"Why did you help me?" he asked.  
  
"You were hurt." Usagi replied, as if it were the simplest thing in the world.  
  
"Not why did you heal me, why did you kill Kayor? Most humans wouldn't have followed us."  
  
.... seconds passed and she did not reply ....  
  
"I don't know." she finally gave up. She wasn't about to tell him that she felt the evil coming from Kayor and suspected him of being a powerful youma. No way... Outside, thunder crashed suddenly and she moved closer to him on instinct. Another thunder clap sounded and she gripped his arm in fear.  
  
'She's afraid of thunder but isn't afraid of two vampires?' Hiiro wondered in amazement. A strange feeling grew inside him but he shoved it away.  
  
"You can stay the night here if you're afraid of returning home." he offered, kicking himself as he said so. Usagi looked around, mind screaming what her mouth would not.  
  
"I won't bite you or anything, I promise." Hiiro told her, piling blankets onto the mattress to make it softer. Usagi looked up at him from her seat, eyes searching for something within his Prussian depths. Whatever she was looking for she must have found because she nodded and lay down, pulling a thin blanket to her chin to ward off some of the cold. Hiiro sat on a pillow next to her, unmoving, except to blink occasionally.   
  
With a jolt he realized what she had done. Usagi had staked one of the most powerful vampires 'alive', one of the leaders of the Clan. And such a kill did not go unpunished. She would be hunted by the best there was until she was dead, that was for sure.  
  
He sighed and looked at her sleeping form. There was no way that he was letting her die for something he had gotten her into... Wait a minute, he hadn't gotten her into it, she followed them of her own accord. But she did kill Kayor and she did heal him, and there was something about her... something he was yet to place. He wanted to find out what was so special about this girl, this Usagi. There and then he made a silent vow.  
  
'I will protect her and keep her alive and away from the hunters until I figure out why she's so different from all the others. On the moon, I swear it.'  
  
  
  
Ironic, ne, that he would choose this celestial body to swear upon?  
  
  
PLEASE REVIEW AND TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK! Thanks! 


	2. More Questions, No Answers

Sorry it took so long to update, but please enjoy this new chappie!  
  
This chapter is dedicated to Usagi Asia Maxwell, Solus Nox, Dragon, and Tsuki Fa- thanks you guys! Ya'll are so sweet!  
Usagi slept peacefully, unware that she was under careful scrutiny. Hiiro continued to ponder how and how well he could protect her, watching her closely. Stretching slightly, Usagi rolled onto her stomach, exposing her neck and back through her ripped school uniform.  
  
"What the-" Hiiro trailed off. Brushing her hair aside softly, so as to not wake her, he examined the cuts on her back. They were deeper than those on her neck- much deeper. He thought back over the night's events, seeing in his mind's eye as Kayor grabbed at Usagi's neck, long nails scraping her porclain skin. But his hands went no lower.   
  
Confused and concerned over what could have caused the cuts on her upper back, he sighed. Hiiro pulled a light granite dagger from the small hidden arsenal of weapons he always carried with him. Curling his hand into a fist, he made a shallow cut in the side, just below his pinky. Slowly he let the blood drip down onto her neck and upper back, watching with a smile as the skin pulled together and healed itself almost instantly. His skin did the same.   
  
Knowing that she would never trust him if she woke up with blood on her neck, Hiiro grabbed a piece of cloth from the pile and went over to the window, soaking it in the rainwater that had accumulated on the windowsill. Glancing down at the road he saw three black shadows bend outwards to form figures, which began searching the alleyway.  
  
'Oh shit,' he thought. 'The Hunters are after her already. She won't be safe here for long... She won't be safe anywhere.' Quickly he moved back to her, gently wiping the drying red life liquid from her skin.  
  
Hiiro knew what he had to do to ensure her safety, but he wasn't going to betray her trust while she was asleep. Taking a deep breath, a habit he hadn't been able to shake, he shook her slightly.  
  
"Usagi, Usagi, wake up!" he called. Grumbling, she opened her eyes. He smiled a little, cursing whatever was making him act so human around the younger girl.  
  
"Ugghh, Hiiro it's not even morning yet!" Usagi complained, glancing out the window.  
  
"I know but I need to tell you something." he replied in the most serious tone she had heard him use so far. He had her attention.  
  
"Kayor was a very powerful vampire. He was a leader of the Akuji Clan and his murder will not go unpunished. Usagi, there are beings out there that you could not begin to imagine, that would kill you in a heartbeat, without a second thought." Hiiro told her, pacing the room. Usagi shuddered.  
  
'If he only knew...' she thought.  
  
"I won't allow these monsters, these Hunters, to hurt you. But there's only one way to keep them from drinking your life. Most vampires pick a victim and drink their life quickly, leaving them as an empty shell. There are few who don't; I am one of them. If a vampire has drunk of you and left you with life, no other vampire will be able to stand the taste of your blood. It will be a poison. Do you understand what I'm saying?" Hiiro asked.  
  
"So if you drink my blood then other vampires will die if they drink?" she repeated, rubbing her neck uncomfortably at the thought. The gesture sparked some desire deep within him.  
  
"Hai, something like that." he replied. Usagi looked up into his eyes, searching them once more. It unnerved him, as though she could see past the many barriers he had erected around his emotions.  
  
"Will it hurt?" she asked in a whisper. He broke the eye contact.  
  
"Iie, I'll be gentle and I won't take much. I promise."  
  
She nodded very slowly. Hiiro sat down again next to her, crossing his legs "Indian-style". Holding her hand, he pulled her onto his lap sideways, allowing her back to rest against his arm and her head on his shoulder.  
  
"I only want to keep you safe." Hiiro swore. She looked up at him through thick black lashes.  
  
"I trust you, Hiiro." Usagi replied hoarsely. He couldn't resist any longer; his head bent lower, towards her ear.  
  
"I promise." he whispered against the lobe before lowering his head even further. The smell of her blood enticed him and he smiled a little as his fangs slid from their sheaths.   
  
Slowly he bit her, fangs softly piercing her delicate skin just below the jawbone. The mixed smell of her skin and her blood nearly drove him over the edge, but he managed to control the urge and sip slowly.  
  
Usagi was heaven. She had clamped her eyes shut when she felt him near her neck and whimpered slightly when she had felt the first pricks. But then.... she felt so relaxed as he sucked at her neck softly. She felt him shudder and knew something had affected him, though what it was she couldn't tell... All she knew was the sweet bliss of his mouth on her skin.  
  
Hiiro wanted to scream.  
  
'What is it about this girl?' he wondered in the back of his mind. 'Why does she affect me so much? Is this the downfall that See predicted?'  
  
A memory rose through his mind like a bubble of air shoots to the surface of the ocean. A memory from years ago, before he met Kayor, before he was blessed with the curse of being immortal. Unconsiously he drank faster and faster.  
  
With a jolt he rose from the sea of memories, realizing that he had been drinking for much longer than he had intended. Pulling his mouth from her neck he scrambled to check her pulse.  
  
Hiiro let out a sigh he didn't know he had been holding when he found it, strong and true against his fingertips. Twisting her in his lap a bit, he saw that she was still awake and aware.  
  
Usagi smiled at him when their gazes met.  
  
"You didn't tell me it was so wonderful." she said giddily, head floating from the lack of blood.  
  
"I am sorry, Usagi. I took more than I meant to. I need to take you home now." Hiiro replied, smiling back at her. She nodded and yawned, stretching.  
  
"Where do you live?" he asked.  
  
"1333 Tsuki Fa Road..." Usagi trailed off, yawning again. Hiiro stood, picking her up with him. He knew the area of town, he and the others had feasted there many times. Cradling her in his arms, he pulled one of the thicker blankets over her to keep her warm and dry, then climbed from the window and made his way down the fire escape.  
  
Alert for the active Hunters, he walked quickly through the streets of Toyko, slowing his pace as the neared her street. At this point all he wanted to do was get her home and begin finding hideouts nearby so he could begin to sort through all that had happened. He knew he needed to talk to the others, too.  
  
'1333 Tsuki Fa Road,' he thought, reading the number near the front door. Slowly he circled the house, unsure of what to do.  
  
"That one." Usagi supplied, gesturing at one of the second-story windows. Hiiro jolted and nearly dropped her; he hadn't realized that she was awake. Carefully he climbed the tree next to her window, balancing her in one arm. In the back of his mind he wondered how she could be so light.  
  
Silently he jumped from a tree limb to the small balcony. The glass door was unlocked and he slipped in easily, looking around curiously. The room, apart from the floor being covered in a thick layer of magazines, books, and clothes, seemed to fit the small girl perfectly.  
  
Hiiro pulled back the thick comforter on her bed and laid her in it, pulling the wet blanket from her and leaving it on the floor. Covering her once more with the duvet he went to the doorway. Grabbing his granite dagger again, he drew it across his fingertip. When the blood swelled and began to run he reached up and drew a thin line across the top of the doorframe, then down each post and finally let a few drops land on the carpeted floor. Hiiro went to the balcony door and repeated this process. It blocked all unnatural forces from entering the room, except for him because it was his blood.  
  
'Blood has so many more uses than silly humans think.' Hiiro thought, still a little giddy from the blood he had tasted.  
  
"Goodnight, Usagi." he whispered, sliding the balcony door shut behind him and jumping from the landing into the tree. Silently he climbed down and began familiarizing himself with the area.  
"Tsukino Usagi get up THIS INSTANT!" Ilkuko screamed through the door. Usagi rolled over and pulled her pillow up and over her head, covering her ears.  
  
"Usagi are you moving or do I have to come in there?!" Ilkuko demanded once more.  
  
"Hai, mama, I'm up!" Usagi replied, shooting out of bed. She could not allow her mother to see her in her nightclothes or she would have to explain about her wounds.  
  
Back the youma up a minute. She wasn't in her nightclothes- Usagi still her ripped school uniform from the night before... With a gasp she remembered the night's events. She sank back down to sit at the edge of the bed.  
  
'Was it a dream?' Usagi wondered. She glanced around, immediately noticing the wet blanket in a heap on the floor. 'Guess not. So he was real... Yui Hiiro... Where'd you go?' She got up and went to the balcony, looking around for the dark haired man.  
  
"Silly Usagi," she said, talking to herself to relieve some of the stress she felt. "He's a vampire; he won't be out in the daylight."  
  
From his perch in the shadows in the upper limbs of the tree, Hiiro heard her and smiled. 'Silly Usagi indeed,' he agreed silently.   
"Great, one I can't hide." Usagi moaned, looking into the spot she had cleared in the steamed mirror. Her lithe body was wrapped in a light blue towel and her wet hair hung freely to her ankles. She leaned forward for a better view of the purple bruise on her neck, just below the jaw. Sighing, she pulled a tube of concealer from one of the drawers. Usually she wore little to no make-up, but today there was a good reason. Putting a little of the cold liquid on her finger, she dabbed it on the bruise and spread it around until it disappeared from sight.  
"Usagi you're going to be late for school!" Ilkuko called up the stairs, bracing herself for Hurricane Usagi. Sure enough, Usagi came flying down the stairs, pulling one of her shoes on and holding the other in her hand.  
  
"Thanks mama!" she said as Ilkuko handed her a few pieces of toast. She grabbed her schoolbag and left the house, door slamming behind her.  
Hiiro had jumped down from the tree the moment he heard Ilkuko shout and rounded the house, waiting at the edge of the street. He cast a Shadow over himself and instantly became completely invisible to the many people passing by. At that moment, Usagi came bursting out the front door. She ran down the front steps, still pulling on the other shoe. A piece of toast hung halfway out of her mouth and Hiiro couldn't help but smile at the sight she made. Glancing up, she stopped dead in her tracks, toast almost falling from her mouth.  
  
"Hiiro?!" she exclaimed. He nodded.  
  
"How-" She began. Hiiro shook his head, gesturing to the people around them that had stopped to watch the strange girl talking to her mailbox. Usagi caught on.  
  
"Follow me," she muttered under her breath before taking off at top speed, same as every morning. Hiiro was surprised at the speed she managed to obtain and followed her through the city until she disappeared down an alley near her school grounds.   
  
"Hiiro how is that you can be out in the sun? And how come others couldn't see you?" she asked, breathing hard.  
  
"I told you that we Akuji are not what you humans envision as vampires. So long as I have feasted within the last week I can walk in the light. I can cast a Shadow over myself and become invisible to all those but the ones I want to see me." he replied calmly.  
  
"What about the other stuff? Do you have a coffin? Can you change into a bat? Do you have fang-" she cut off there, blushing as fingertips massaging the bruise on her neck, feeling the two tiny holes in the center. Hiiro raised an eyebrow.  
  
"I don't have a coffin and I can't change into a bat." he replied, not elaborating on what he could do instead. Usagi took a deep breath, enjoying the fresh morning air.  
  
"Isn't it wonderful, Hiiro?" she asked, looking down the alleyway and across the street to where the park was.  
  
"Hai." Hiiro replied emotionlessly, not understanding. She rolled her eyes.  
  
"Come one Hiiro, how do you spend each day?"  
  
"At home."  
  
"What, you spend all day inside?"  
  
"Hai, most of the time."  
  
"That's no way to live!"  
  
"That's not the best term you could choose. I'm not alive, Usagi."  
  
"Gomen nasai," she apologized. His eyes softened.  
  
"It's alright." Hiiro replied, coming over to where Usagi was leaning on the dumpster. He held her chin loosely in his hand, tilting it upwards so he could look at her wound.  
  
"I'm sorry it left a mark." he said, eyes piercing hers. Shuddering, she turned away.  
  
"It's alright, I'll be fine. I just hope my friends don't see it." Usagi joked, an uncomfortable giggle escaping her lips. Just then a loud bell rang.  
  
"Oh crappers I'm going to be so late!" she exclaimed. Leaning forward and kissing Hiiro's cheek softly she ran off.  
  
"I'll probably have detention but I'll be out at 4:30!" Usagi called over her shoulder. He lifted two fingers to his face, cheeks burning. What would the others think if they saw him?  
  
Obviously someone heard his question because at that moment several shadows began bending around him. Hiiro immediately took up a defensive stance, waiting for the Akuji to come from the shadows.  
  
"Hey Hiiro!" A jovial voice rang out as a tall boy stepped from one of the shadows.  
  
"Hnn. Hello Duo." Hiiro replied. Three others also emerged, greeting him.  
  
"Gang's all here, huh?" Duo commented, glancing around. Five immortal souls trapped in teenage bodies stood together.  
  
"What happened, Yui? We were supposed to meet last night." A tall Chinese man with black hair demanded.  
  
"Shove it, Wufei." Hiiro replied. "Something came up."  
  
"What came up?" Duo pressed. Hiiro growled.  
  
"I had to feed." he said, shutting them all up. It wasn't a complete lie- but he needed to get to the school to watch over her. He hadn't thought to go there the night before and mark the doors.  
  
"I heard a disturbing rumour today," Trowa began. "It seems that one of our old enemies has been destroyed."  
  
"Kayor-?" Quatre asked. Trowa nodded.  
  
"He was staked." Hiiro said, not wishing to elborate. "We'll meet tonight instead."  
  
"Same place?" Duo questioned. Hiiro nodded.  
  
"Good. See you then." Wufei said, melting back into the shadows. The others followed suit, leaving Hiiro alone in the alley.   
Of course Usagi ran into the classroom, breathing hard, about five seconds after the tardy bell.  
  
"Detention!" her teacher screamed. Usagi hung her head in defeat.  
Hiiro spent the day in Usagi's school. Using his Shadow he managed to gain access to the main office, and the attendance clerk was very helpful when he used his Fog on her. Hiiro left the building satisfied, carrying the school's blueprints and Usagi's schedule in his pocket. Slowly he walked through the park, knowing that Usagi got detention. He stopped for a moment and sat on one of the park benches, still damp from the night before. Deciding to enjoy the sun, Hiiro slipped out of his knee-length black leather jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his thin, long sleeve black tee shirt. Resting his hands lightly on his light blue jeans, he thought back to the night before.   
  
Usagi's blood tasted so good on his tongue, like ambrosia to the gods. Her's was different than others; it had a different taste, a different spice. It fueled his speculation that there was something about her that was just not normal. And that speculation only made him want to be around her more.   
Usagi sighed heavily as she left the school. Not paying any particular attention to where she was going, she headed for the Crown Arcade. All she could think about the whole day was Hiiro.  
  
"Hey Usa-babe! Wait up!" Minako called, racing up to her.   
  
"Hey Minako!" Usagi greeted. Minako grabbed her arm and began walking with her. Glancing sideways, she suddenly stopped.  
  
"Usagi, is there something you want to talk about?" she asked.  
  
"Not really, why?" Usagi returned, suddenly getting very serious.  
  
"Did Mamo-chan get a little rough?" Minako questioned, grinning like a chesire cat.  
  
"Huh?!" the odango-ed girl replied.  
  
"You've got a hickey the size of Texas!" she exclaimed. Usagi immediately blushed a brilliant shade of red.   
  
"It wasn't-" Usagi cut herself off just before she told Minako that it wasn't Mamoru. "It wasn't on purpose."  
  
Minako winked at her, and Usagi sighed, grateful that Hiiro wasn't around to see her blush.  
  
'Wait a minute. Is Hiiro around?' she wondered, glancing about for him. 'What if he's using that Shadow thing? What if he sees me with Mamoru?' She jolted at that thought.  
  
'Why would it matter? Mamoru's my boyfriend, after all... Still...' Even more confused, Usagi and Minako entered the arcade together.  
  
"Hey Usagi!" Andrew called from behind the counter.   
  
"Hi Andrew!" Usagi replied, sitting down in front of her favorite game. Plunking two quarters into the slot, she placed her small hands onto the controllers and began to play.  
  
A few minutes later...  
  
"Hey no fair I jumped!" Usagi exclaimed. Suddenly a warm feeling came over her, like coming out of cold water during summer and feeling the hot sun begin to dry her skin.  
  
"You're right, Usagi. You did jump." a voice said over her shoulder. Immediately she stiffened.  
  
"Don't change, they can't see me." he spoke again. Usagi relaxed her posture, leaning back slightly into him. Hiiro took a deep breath.  
  
"Why can't you take off the shadow?" she asked, sighing and continuing with her game. Soon she felt the warmth leave her.   
  
The automatic door hissed, and Hiiro walked in, unveiled. Usagi turned a bit after losing the game again, jaw dropping. Damn it all if Hiiro didn't look hot- black boots, leather jacket hanging open, toned chest beneath a thin white shirt. His bangs hung down into his eyes, eyes that seemed to look at only one thing- her. She sucked her breath in as he came over to her.  
  
"This better?" he asked. Usagi nodded. She could tell that everyone else could see him too, for her's wasn't the only jaw that dropped when he had come in. From the corner of her eye she saw Makoto rise from her seat but she was restrained by Rei. No doubt Ami had advised them to wait and see what happened. What she didn't see, though, was Mamoru coming in.  
  
"Usako?" he demanded softly, making his way over to Hiiro and Usagi. He didn't know who this man was but he was standing way too close to his Usagi to be up to any good.   
  
"Who are you?!" Mamoru asked, louder this time, grabbing Hiiro's shoulder. Instantly Hiiro reacted, placing his hand over Mamoru's and twisting the smaller man's body until he held him in a headlock. His left hand was held above Mamoru's neck; one thrust would knock him out for a few hours.  
  
"Who the hell are you?!" Hiiro retorted, raising his voice only slightly.  
  
"I'm her boyfriend." Mamoru replied, showing no fear. Hiiro's eyes snapped up to Usagi. She winced slightly as she saw the hurt displayed in them for only a moment. Tears forming in the corners of her eyes, she nodded slightly. Hiiro released Mamoru and promptly disappeared. Startled, Mamoru lost his balance and nearly fell. Usagi had to stop herself from laughing.  
  
'Wait a minute.' she thought suddenly. 'When did I start viewing Mamoru as weak and foolish?' Some part of her subconsious mind knew the answer, though she refused to acknowledge that part of her brain.  
  
It was when she met Hiiro.  
Duo: Awwww...  
Quatre: How sweet!  
Wufei: coughcough*weakwomen*coughcough  
Hiiro: *blushes madly* Hmmph.  
Aka: Trowa, you're my last hope...  
Trowa: Please review- it keeps her sane.  
Duo: And if she's sane, no one dies!  
Aka: *hangs head in defeat* 


	3. Stay Away From Shadows

I know it's been a long, long wait, and I don't know if you will think that this chapter is worth the wait but I'm posting it anyway. Enjoy, and please review!!!!akamoonsugar@yahoo.com  
  
This chappie is dedicated to Vixen. Without her I would not be posting anything today. Her email was so inspiring that I sat down and typed on my various fics for about 7 hours straight. A lot of people reviewed and emailed me, but hers was just incredible. Thanks again, Vixen!  
  
  
  
Hiiro kicked a dumpster hard, hissing slightly as he felt the impact through his thick shoe.  
  
"Foolish human," he spat, cursing himself silently for believing that she was different. Hearing the automatic doors hiss, he threw his Shadow on and looked out, seeing Mamoru leaving the Arcade.  
  
'Where are you going, pretty boy?' Hiiro asked bitterly, deciding to follow him. Something strange was crying out from the depths of Mamoru's mind, and he was determined to find out what it was. Hiiro trailed the dark haired man to his apartment, about twelve blocks from the Arcade.  
  
Mamoru threw his jacket onto the couch and looked darkly at a picture of him and Usagi.  
  
"Don't play with me, bitch!" he growled before grabbing the picture and hurling it into the wall. Startled, Hiiro watched as Mamoru slouched against the wall and rubbed his temples. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his cell phone and hit two buttons- Hiiro heard the unmistakenable tone of a speed-dial connecting.  
  
"Hello?" Hiiro heard, the voice tinny and soft as it came from the speaker.  
  
"Hey baby." Mamoru said in a dark voice.  
  
"Hey stranger..." the female on the other end replied, voice now sultry and sweet.  
  
"I need it, babe, I need it soon." he moaned.  
  
"I'll be right there." she giggled, and hung up. Mamoru went into the bathroom, leaving Hiiro to wander around. It was only a few minutes later when the doorbell rang. Mamoru emerged from the bathroom, smelling like fresh cologne. He opened the door and a thin, giggling girl entered the room. Stringy, obviously fake blonde hair held a few wild black highlights, and she wore a tiny black skirt and a red, innocent-looking cardigan. Hiiro moved towards the door, keeping his back to the wall as Mamoru pushed the girl onto the couch. She giggled but lay still as he bent his head to her neck and latched on. Bile rose in the back of his throat as he watched the man lap like a kitten at the blood seeping from her neck.  
  
'Does Usagi know he's a vampire?' Hiiro wondered. 'Iie, she couldn't...' Glancing back at Mamoru he quickly realized that once the man was done feeding he would be strong enough to sense Hiiro's presence in his territory. Hiiro made his way through the door and down onto the street, looking about for Usagi as the sun began to descend from the sky.  
  
Usagi wandered at a leisurely pace towards the hideout they had been in the night before, hoping to find Hiiro there and perhaps apologize to him. The sun was just beginning to dip behind the horizon when she found the alley she was looking for. Unaware of the reddish sun casting shadows throughout the alley and the shadows twisting into unnatural shapes, shapes that reached out towards the girl as she tried to reach the metal stairs that led to the loft. One shadow in particular reached further than the others, growing upwards and off the ground until it stood to be taller than her.   
  
"Almost... there..." Usagi gasped, stretching her arm as far as it would go, her fingertips only grazing the metal of the pull-down fire escape staircase. Just then the shadow locked around her, covering her mouth and pulling her down to the ground. Usagi struggled, kicking and trying to scream. It was only a few seconds later when Hiiro appeared, somehow hauling the shadow off of her. It melted back in with the others instantly. Hiiro knelt next to Usagi, cradling her head in his hands and feeling for her pulse.  
  
"What was that thing?" Usagi asked, groaning. Hiiro fought the urge to smile at the bewildered look on her face. Picking her up gently, he pulled down the fire escape and scaled it, reaching the top floor in no time. Usagi's arms wrapped loosely around his neck and he was surrounded by her intoxicating scent. Remembering that she had a boyfriend, he then set her down on the worn mattress and turned away, not wanting to see the hurt and confused look in her eyes.  
  
"That thing was a Hunter, Usagi!" he said harshly. She flinched at his tone.  
  
"I'm sorry, Hiiro... I was trying to reach the ladder to see if you were here and I just didn't see it." she said softly, silently standing and moving towards him.  
  
"Usagi, for Kami's sake, just stay away from shadows!" Hiiro practically screamed. She recoiled, retreating across the room. The ensuing silence was enough to make them deaf, but it only lasted for a few terrible moments before being broken by a determined Beeeeeeep! Praying for whoever had called her to be discreet, Usagi answered.  
  
"Hey Odango, we need some help out here! This one's really strong." Sailor Mars' voice came crackling through the speaker.  
  
"Where?" she replied.  
  
"Kisawa Street Bridge, by the old mall."  
  
"Be there in two minutes- I'm not far away." Usagi promised, then turned the communicator off promptly. "I have to go, Hiiro... My friends, they need me."  
  
Hiiro heard her climb out the window and down the fire escape but made no move to follow until he heard her run from the alley. Then he dashed silently after, mind screaming questions that demanded answers.  
  
Stay tuned! The next chapter will come SOON, I promise! 


End file.
